Whenever people type in your business name, your Google Business Profile should also appear. Contact details, opening hours, location, images of your premises and work, and above all, reviews from your customers.
Why good reviews are good for your business
Your Google Business Profile may well be the first thing clients see of your business. Before they even reach your website, a first impression is made from how complete the profile is, the images, and the opinions of other previous customers.
A good online reputation is vital for reassuring customers who are on the verge of making a commercial or transactional enquiry. When they're researching your business, this is exactly the information they are looking for.
It's good for search engines too
Reviews are a top-ranking factor for local searches. When Google is looking for reputable businesses to list in order of importance for a search in your sector, your reviews on the Google Business Profile are the first place it will look, and the easiest thing for it to find. More reviews on your Google Business Profile result in more clicks and more trust.
How to get more reviews
The answer is obvious – ask for them. Many business owners are shy about coming forward for this, but a happy customer will never think poorly of a business when they ask for this. You can even ask clients and customers who you've done projects for in the past, and if you are confident in your work, why not?
You can send previous customers a link to your google business profile by email, so they can simply clock on the link and begin typing their review.
Top tip: To send a convenient link for your customers, go to your own Google Business Profile, look for reviews and click on the 'get reviews' button. This will produce a window that enables you to send review requests via email, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
What not to do!
- Don't create fake reviews – This can hurt your ranking or even cause you to be delisted
- Don't incentivise reviews – These can also hurt your overall rating
- Don't ignore reviews – Reply to all comments professionally and kindly
- Don't take bad reviews personally – Some customers may have a bad experience, and this is your opportunity to apologise and explain
DotGO can help you collect reviews and optimise your Google Business Profile, getting you found more in your local area.
